The intrigue of possibly seeing a live death might sound ghoulish, but it's undeniably part of the appeal. Perhaps this is why mankind continues to discover new ways to experience the rush of life while tempting or even taunting death.

Philippe Petit

In 1974, Petit walked on a wire between the Twin Towers at the World Trade Center in New York for 45 minutes. Petit was 24 at the time, and he posed as a journalist to get access to the building, which hadn't been open to the public yet.

Robbie Kneviel

Alain Robert

Known as the French Spider-Man, Robert climbed a 2,717-foot building in Dubai. It was a legal climb, unlike some of his previous adventures such as scaling Petronas Towers (1,483 feet) in Kuala Lumpur.

Yves Rossy

David Smith Jr.

According to his website, Smith "has performed more than 5000 cannon shots around the world." Smith set the distance record in 2011 at 193 feet and 8 inches, breaking the previous mark of 185 feet set by his father